


Not So Different

by AvengersCompound (emilyevanston)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Animal Abuse, Animal Liberation, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes & Criminals, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Happy Steve Bingo, Major Character Injury, Minor Injuries, Reader-Insert, Smut, Star Spangled Bingo, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-12-16 01:29:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21028028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilyevanston/pseuds/AvengersCompound
Summary: When Steve Rogers comes across you liberating hens from a battery farm his initial reaction is to arrest you.  He certainly wouldn’t assume that the woman who he initially pegs as a criminal might not be so different from him after all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Square filled: @star-spangled-bingo - Chance Encounters

Steve had woken early. Even for him, it was early. The numbers on his bedside clock flashed 3.18 in big red numbers. He had rolled over and tried to get back to sleep but it didn’t seem to want to come.

He got up and stretched, put on his sweats, grabbed his water bottle, and went for a run.

It was eerily quiet Upstate at this hour. During the day there were always the sounds of the compound running. Recruits out training. Jets landing or taking off. The sounds of explosions from the labs that he never found out the reason for, and quite frankly didn’t want to know. What Tony and Bruce got up to, could stay between them.

At 3.45 am it was just quiet, except for the sound of crickets. He crunched down the gravel by the side of the road. It got darker the further he got from the Compound and at the rate he ran, he was moving away from it quickly.

He’d been running for forty minutes when something caught his attention. The sounds of hens cackling and squawking broke through the perpetual high-pitched buzz of the crickets. Steve stopped and looked over to where it was coming from. He knew there was a chicken farm here but he was pretty sure they shouldn’t be making that kind of noise at this time of the night.

Deep in the gloom, he spotted a shape. It moved crouched low carrying a box or a crate and seemed to stack it on to a pile before running off into the barn again.

The thought of someone stealing chickens or eggs was bizarre to Steve, but given there were no lights on and it was close to four in the morning, that was the only logical answer to what was actually going on.

The facility was surrounded by a tall fence, surrounded by razor wire. Steve knew the gate was a half-mile further up the road and figured he could get to it before whoever it was got too far with those boxes. About halfway down he discovered he didn’t need to bother. There was a pickup parked behind a bush. The tray already had a stack of those crates in the back, each one contained two or three chickens.

Steve couldn’t see them well in the dark but he couldn’t figure out why anyone would steal so many chickens. Was it a rival chicken company? Or maybe someone wanting to have a big cook-out without the overhead expenses? It seemed risky to break into a place with this much security for free chicken.

He took note of the license plate, put his water by a shrub, and moved to the side of the truck. The wire fence has been cut. Rather than going down to meet whoever this was, he thought he’d wait for them. At least maybe hear what they had to say. He couldn’t think of a good reason to steal chickens but who knew? Maybe it was just someone desperate to feed their family.

It wasn’t long before you appeared into the gloom pushing a little cart stacked high with crates of chickens in front of you.

You didn’t seem to notice him right away. Too intent on getting the cart through the fence. When you’d pushed it through you moved to the other side and stopped suddenly, staring at him.

“Ma’am,” Steve said. “Care to tell me why you’re stealing a bunch of chickens?”

“Do you work here?” You asked.

“Well, no…”

“Are you a cop?”

He gave his head the smallest of shakes. “Not exactly.”

You dropped your guard and went and picked up one of the crates. “Then mind your own fucking business.”

“Ma’am,” Steve said and went to grab your arm.

You reacted remarkably swiftly, dropping the crate again and making the chickens squawk loudly. You pulled out a can of mace from your pocket and spraying it directly into his eyes.

Supersoldier or not, that shit hurt. Pain flared in eyes and his vision went blurry. Steve reflexively released you and went to his utility belt for something to counteract it. He then remembered he wasn’t actually on duty right now, and he was in sweats, not his uniform. He took a deep breath and scrambled for where you put his water. By the time he was flushing his eyes out, you were in the truck and tearing down the street.

For a moment Steve considered chasing down the car. Reason got the best of him. He needed to get back and rinse his eyes out properly and he had your license plate number. He could run it later. You were a chicken thief, not HYDRA.

Before heading back he thought he would take the chickens you’d left back into the farm. It was when he approached your cart that he got his best idea at what it was you were doing.

The chickens looked sick. Most were missing feathers, some to the point of barely even having any. Looking at their legs he wasn’t sure if they’d be able to stand. He knew nothing about chickens but these birds looked like they needed to see a vet. He changed course again. He’d take the chickens back to the compound, wash out his eyes, and get these birds some medical attention. After he’d done all of that, then he’d track you down and see what the hell it was you were doing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Square filled:** @happystevebingo - Villain/Hero Romance or Friendship

Steve’s eyes were still red, puffy, and sore when the vet had shown up to the compound. He’d called around and found one that was willing to come out. He thought it would be easier that way given the number of hens that were in the crates.

“Yeah, this is what happens with battery farming.” She said as she pulled out, what must have been the eleventh hen. “They don’t have room to move. They get shoved in two to a cage and cannibalize each other. Legally I’d say you should return them. But…” She shrugged. “Ethically, if you can’t keep them here it would be kinder to put them down. If you were willing you could try giving them a nice rest of their life. I can’t promise all of them will be okay. Some might not ever walk.”

She put the hen she was treating down on the ground and it tipped over onto its side. Steve frowned.

“That farm is full of chickens like this?” He asked.

The vet picked up another chicken and began treating it. “I’m afraid so, Captain Rogers.”

“And this is legal?”

She nodded. “There are groups that lobby to ban it. California and Michigan have banned them. But here, it’s fine.” She explained. “I’d say you met with one of the more radical people against the practice.”

“I guess I did.” Steve agreed. “I can probably set something up for these birds here, but I don’t have anything for them now. What do you suggest?”

The vet stroked her hand down the hen’s back. “Tell you what. I’ll take these ladies back to my place. Treat them for any pests. Give them some vitamins. Feed them up and see if they can walk around okay. If you set up something for them here, I’ll bring you the healthy girls back.”

“That would be fantastic. Thank you so much for all this.” Steve said.

“Of course. Happy to help.” She answered.

He helped her load the chickens up into his truck and wrote her a check for their care. When he was done he went inside. He’d had FRIDAY run your plate just after calling the vet. She had the address ready for him.

He debated for a minute whether he should just leave it. It was a crime though and he wanted to get some answers. He grabbed his keys and a bottle of water just in case and went for a drive.

You didn’t live nearby. It was an hour before he was pulling into the dirt drive that led up to your farmhouse. It was modest. More of a cabin in the woods than a proper farm. The woods backed right up against it in fact. There were a few cleared fields though. Each one that was cleared had animals in them. A few older ponies and horses with sway backs. Some sheep that had been recently shorn. One paddock that had a couple of cows and a whole lot of calves. Near the cabin was a much larger and better cared for barn.

He pulled the car up and saw you watching him from your garden. When he got out of the car, your eyes went wide and you ran. He sighed. He didn’t want to do the whole chase thing.

He watched you run for a moment and then took after you when he was sure he knew where you were heading. You leaped your garden wall and beelined for your house. Steve caught you, knocking you to the ground before you reached your porch.

“I just wanted to talk,” Steve said.

“Oh god, you’re Captain America,” you babbled, seemingly to yourself. “I maced Captain America. They’re gonna send me to the Raft.”

“No one is sending you to the Raft,” Steve said. “If I let you up will you run again?”

“No, no.” You said. He took the pressure off your back and you sat up and rolled your shoulder. “If you send me away, please let me organize someone to take care of my animals.”

“No one is sending you away.” He said. “I just… tell me what you were doing?”

“Did you take those hens back?” You asked.

Steve shook his head slightly. “No. They’re with a vet. I’m going to set up something for them, so they can live outside.”

You seemed to relax. “Come with me.”

Steve followed you to the large barn. Out the back was a large carefully fenced off area. Chickens roamed around pecking and scratching on the ground. “I liberate animals from places like that. Everyone you see here has been rescued. The horses I picked up from slaughter sales. Many are ex races. The calves are leftovers from the dairy industry. The hens from battery farms. I know outside of actually blowing things up I can’t really do anything to change anything. But I figure I’m costing them money at least and the ones who come and live with me get to live out the rest of their lives happy. I’d let the hens roam more but there are wolves and coyotes around here. Bears too.” You explained.

“So you just break in and steal these animals?” Steve asked.

“Yep. That’s right.” You said. “Are you going to arrest me?”

Steve shook his head. “Part of me feels like I’m supposed to. I saw those poor chickens though. I had no idea. I can’t pretend I’ve never committed felonies when I thought I was doing the right thing though.”

“So what? Why are you here?” You asked.

“I don’t know,” Steve admitted. “I can’t condone it. But I don’t know if you’re doing the wrong thing or not. If you keep doing them you’re going to get caught.”

You shrugged. “Possibly. We’ll see.” You said. “Thanks for not turning me in though.”

Steve watched the chickens - being chickens - scratching and pecking the ground, chasing bugs, roosting on branches. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with the chickens I have now. I told that vet I’d set something up for them.”

You smiled at him. “You’re really going to keep them?”

“Yeah, I thought so,” Steve said.

“I can help you if you want. They deserve something nice.”

Steve looked you up and down and then nodded. “That would be really helpful.” He said. “Thanks.”

“Come on then. We’ll take my truck. You’re gonna need some lumber.” You said and turned back to your house. Steve chuckled and followed after you. Today had been weird so far. He might as well run with it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Square filled: @happystevebingo - Rooftop/Indoor Farming for Novices

The pickup rattled into the compound laden down with lumber, mesh and other supplies to build a hen house and chicken run. Steve guided you to park near the building the Avengers called home.

The two of you climbed out and you looked around. “Henhouse is going to look so strange out here. Where were you thinking?” You asked.

Steve looked around. He really didn’t have any idea. Yes, there was a lot of land around here but there were always people training with guns, or jets landing, or trucks driving through.

“I know this might sound weird but could we put it up on the roof?” He asked.

“Yeah, we could. You’d need to put turf up there though.” You said, looking up. “There’s a lot of roof space though and it might be a good way to protect against predators. Still, need to worry about hawks.”

“Turf’s doable,” Steve said.

“You could put a little vegetable garden up there too.” You suggested. “Get some railway sleepers to box them off. It’d be nice.”

Steve nodded. It was actually a pretty nice project. Bucky had been talking about growing produce and Wanda and Vision were both very into gardening. Currently, they had a little flower garden around the edge of the building. With how Wanda liked to cook, Steve thought having fresh eggs and vegetables would be something that she loved.

“Alright. Let’s go up and see what we’re dealing with.” You said.

* * *

You and Steve had plotted out a site that filled the roof of the Avengers living quarters. It was a large even space and allowed for a lot of creativity. In the end, it became quite elaborate. Especially when Wanda, Vision, and Bucky all started to add their opinions in.

The turf was delivered. As was mulch, pebbles, soil, and manure. There were more trips out to the hardware store with you for lumber and other supplies. It took a few weeks of work to get done but in the end, there was a large run for the chickens that ran down one side of the building and was caged off to protect from birds of prey.

Deep garden beds were erected out of the railway sleepers. Long wide ones that were planted with various seasonal vegetables. Square ones that housed apples, orange and lemon trees. Long narrow ones that had blueberry bushes, rosemary and Bay Laurel. Between the planters, the pebbles were laid out and on the opposite side of the building an arbor was erected and they’d planted passionfruit vines, in the hopes they’d grow up over it to create a cover for the table and chairs they’d put up there.

By the time the chickens were returned by the vet, it was looking really good. It would make a nice spot to just relax and hang out.

Steve invited the team up to check out all the work, you, he, Bucky, Wanda, and Vision had done. He set up a grill and brought up drinks so that everyone could just enjoy the new space.

“Damn, Steve. You guys have been busy.” Sam said as the group all came out through the door onto the roof.

“Chickens? You have chickens?” Clint asked beelining straight for their run.

Steve gave you a look and you smirked at him. “I suggested he get bees as well.” You said.

“Oh yes!” Wanda said excitedly. “We should get bees. I would love fresh honey and they could pollinate our plants.”

“So who’s your friend, Cap?” Tony asked. You offered Tony your hand and introduced yourself. “I know that name.” He said. “Of Genexis?”

“Yeah, that’s my dad’s company.” You said. “I don’t have a lot to do with them.”

“Man, my dad used to joke about marrying me off to someone from your family,” Tony said. “How did you meet Cap?”

“I plan out this kind of thing. Steve had an idea that he wanted a rooftop farm. He called me up.” You lied. Steve was impressed by how quickly it came to you, though he did worry about lying to Tony again. But it wasn’t his story to tell. You being some kind of animal liberator wasn’t going to hurt Tony. Tony know could hurt you. So Steve didn’t say anything.

“Still can’t understand what little city boy Steve wanted in a mini-farm, but I gotta admit. It looks great.” Tony said.

“Yeah, it’s gonna be a great place to hang out,” Sam said. “Drink a few beers, grill some steaks.”

“That’s the idea.” Steve agreed. “Plus, Wanda, Vis, and Buck are all into the gardening.”

“And you’ve got a reason for your new friend to come around, huh?” Sam teased.

A blush crept up the back of Steve’s neck and he wasn’t even sure why. He hadn’t even particularly thought about you like that. Now that it was pointed out to him though, he’d actually really liked spending time with you. You were intelligent, passionate and fun to be around. You were, however, a criminal. How successful could anything between you really be? Even a friendship? He was supposed to be one of the good guys.

“Look at him blush,” Natasha teased. “I guess we will be seeing more of you around.”

“I guess we’ll see,” you agreed. Though when you looked at him, he could see in your eyes, you were thinking the exact same thing, Steve was.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> @happystevebingo - First Kiss

Steve was having trouble keeping away from you. It was strange really, he was no stranger to danger and on the scale of dangerous activities your minor levels of civil disobedience, breaking and entering, and theft was nothing compared to what he did in his day to day life. Stealing a puppy from a puppy mill wasn’t really up there with jumping out of a plane without a parachute.

Yet there was a danger about being around you that he couldn’t keep away from. Maybe he was addicted to danger? It added up. Why else did he keep running headlong into trouble the way he did?

And you were trouble. Over the next few months of knowing you, he picked you up from the police station 3 times, he bailed you out one of those times, he saw a news story about a monkey being stolen from a lab and the very next day you had a new monkey at your property, and he’d shown up to your property twice only to have you show up just behind him, screeching in like you were being pursued by the cops. Which you probably were.

He knew it was a mistake to keep seeking you out. He knew that one day you were going to get caught doing something and there would be no bailing you out of prison. He knew that if he kept spending time with you either one of you was going to get hurt or he’d end up running into one of your causes and it would end up affecting the Avengers things because really, Steve agreed with what you were doing. He just wasn’t sure where the line was between where you were wrong and where you were right.

He liked that he was learning these things from you. Maybe he had enough that he had to worry about in the state of the world, but he didn’t like being ignorant. More than that though, he just liked being around you. From your most passionate moments about justice in the world to the most relaxed when you were taking care of your farm. It was like you were that perfect balance of exciting and a little bit dangerous, and perfectly normal.

He liked you. Even if it was doomed to end badly, he couldn’t seem to keep away.

“$1000,” he said as he walked out of the police station with you. “$1000 you cost me.”

You laughed and nudged him. He loved when you did that. The simple familiarity that had grown between you. He was no stranger to that kind of casual physical affection. All his friends were quite tactile. Natasha was a hugger. Sam liked patting him on the back. Bucky liked to throw him in a headlock. Bruce was known to patting him all over and shaking him when he got very excited about something. Clint and Tony were both known for smacking his ass because they thought it was quite hilarious to make him blush. None of those made him feel the warm tingle he felt when you just casually bumped him with your shoulder or rubbed his arm. “Quit complaining. You know I’m good for it.”

“Yeah. I guess you are.” Steve agreed. “What was it this time?”

“You’ll be proud of me. I didn’t break into, steal, or damage anything. I was just part of a protest of a circus. The charges won’t even stick. We’re allowed to protest.” You said.

Steve pressed the button on his keys to unlock his car. The car’s lights flashed accompanied by the chonk of the locks shifting. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come. I bet I could have easily convinced Sam, Bucky, and Natasha to come too. Clint as well. Clint is no fan of the circus.”

You both got into the car and started to buckle yourselves in. “I didn’t think you’d want to be seen doing things like that. I mean… you’re Captain America.”

“Yeah and I stand for what’s right. Maybe elephants being kept in small enclosures like that and the whole training thing you told me about isn’t the right thing to do.” He said and started the car. “You have to make a stand when things are important.”

You smiled at him. A soft and affectionate smile that seemed almost more in your eyes than the slight upturn of your lips. “Yeah, you do.” You agreed. “Thank you, Steve.”

You leaned in to kiss his cheek and as your lips brushed over his skin he turned his head. There was the smallest hesitation from both of you, as your lips touched on his and all around the world seemed to stop.

He was about to pull back and apologize. It was an obvious mistake. Neither of you had meant to kiss. Not actually kiss. Only you tilted your head and your lips parted.

He kissed you slowly, his lips slowly caressing yours and his tongue coming out just a little to trace over the corner of your mouth. It was everything you always hoped a first kiss would be. Your hand on his jaw. Your thumb stroking his cheek. His skin prickled like an electrical charge ran from you and through him.

As you pulled back a soft floating feeling blanketed him. He was done for and he didn’t mind one bit.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Square filled:** @happystevebingo - Enemies to Friends to Lovers, @star-spangled-bingo - Teasing

It was strange how something so simple as a kiss could change everything. Yet that’s exactly what it did. It was strange to go from thinking someone was a criminal that needed to be put in jail - to seeing their point-of-view - to spending time with them as friends - to actually dating. It made sense he was dating a criminal really. It wasn’t like he hadn’t committed a whole bunch of federal and international crimes himself.

He was actually enjoying the dating. That was strange too. Before the war dating meant being dragged along on a double date with Bucky and watching as the woman that had been asked to go with Steve flirt with just about every single person except him. After coming off the ice it was his dates talking constantly about Captain America or asking him about the ‘good old days’. With you, it was dinner at candlelit restaurants and picnics in the park. It was home-cooked meals and grand larceny.

It had been a couple of months of dating and he loved it. You were a welcome change to the seriousness that came along with his job. Yet at the same time, you matched completely. He’d always said it was too hard to find people with shared life experiences to date now, and okay, maybe you didn’t get the ‘growing up in the 40s dirt poor and becoming a super-soldier’ thing. You got the absolute desperate need to make the world better thing though.

He’d been taking it slow, which you seemed to get. He didn’t want to pressure you and you weren’t pressuring him and for him, it was all good. Exactly how he wanted it.

So many of the dates had involved you cooking for him that Steve thought he should try and return the favor. He’d invited you around to the compound while he attempted to make ratatouille with some of the vegetables they’d grown on their roof garden.

So far he’d burned 4 onions, 10 cloves of garlic, and he’d done something to the eggplant that he couldn’t even explain, but he was sure it wasn’t supposed to look the way it did.

When FRIDAY gave the alert that you had arrived and were on your way to his apartment he was flustered and starting to get a little angry. He opened the door to let you in and kissed your cheek. “Things aren’t really ready.”

“What smells like burnt garlic?” You asked coming in and dropping your purse on his side table.

“It’s all the garlic I burned.” He said going back to the kitchen. “Turns out, I’m really bad at this.”

You laughed. “What? You’re not amazing at everything you do? Impossible.”

Steve chuckled and shook his head. “Ha-ha. Very funny.”

You followed him into the kitchen. “Here let me see what I can fix here. You cut, I’ll fry.”

The two of you worked well together. You were definitely better at cooking than he was and he was pretty handy with his knife if he did say so himself.

It only took another twenty minutes before the stew was put into the crockpot he’d bought just for this exact meal and transferred into the oven

“That’s going to be like an hour. You do know that right?” You teased.

Steve scrubbed his hand down his face. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I wanted it to be ready when you got here.”

You moved close to him and ran your hands down his abs, hooking your fingers into his belt and pulling him closer to you. “Guess we’ll have to think of something to pass the time.”

“Mm…” He hummed, cupping your jaw. “You got something in mind?”

“I might be able to think of a few things.” You teased.

He leaned down and kissed you. Tenderly at first. A gentle brush of his lips against yours. It gradually deepened, his lips caressing yours. Your tongue teased his mouth open and dipped inside. He hummed softly and moved even closer to you.

Your hands slid up under his shirt and traced over his abs, as his hands ran down your back to your ass. You moaned and lifted your knee and something flicked inside him.

The kiss became hungry and passionate. He lifted you and put you on the kitchen counter and started to grind into you as his cock hardened.

You broke the kiss with a gasp. He wasn’t ready to stop kissing you though. His body called out to yours. He kissed down your jaw to your neck, sucking on your pulse point. “Steve,” you breathed. “What’s happening right now?”

“I want you.” He murmured against your skin. “I’m ready if you are.”

You cupped his jaw and tilted his face up to yours. “You’re sure?”

He nodded. “Yes. I want this.”

“Do you have protection?” You asked.

He nodded again. “Yes.”

“Then let’s do this.” You said and kissed him again.

He lifted you and carried you into the bedroom, putting you down on the bed and climbing up between your legs. You pulled him back on top of you and kissed him hard. As Steve kissed and rutted against you, the two of you began to shed your clothes, rolling on the mattress as you awkwardly pulled off shirts and fumbled with buttons.

By the time the two of you were naked, he was achingly hard. He grabbed the condom from the bedside table and you rolled him over, straddling his lap. “God, I want you so badly.” He groaned, massaging your tits as you rolled the condom on.

You raised your hips and hovered over his cock. “Then you shall have me.” You teased and lowered yourself down, guiding him inside you.

He kept his eyes on you, but you closed yours and let your head fall back. He groaned as his cock sunk deep into the heat of your cunt and you clenched around him. “Fuck,” the two of you sighed in unison.

You started to bounce on his cock. Up and down, up and down. Your cunt squeezing and massaging his shaft each time it disappeared inside you.

He couldn’t keep his eyes off you as you moved. You looked so beautiful to him with your face a picture of complete pleasure, your breasts bouncing as you moved on him, and the way his cock would appear only to just disappear inside you, your cunt stretching to accommodate his considerable girth.

He sat up and nuzzled and kissed your breasts. He pulled one of your nipples into his mouth drawing a sharp breath from you and making your cunt squeeze hard around his cock. He switched to the other breast and suckled for a moment before lifting his head and bringing his lips to yours.

His fingers traveled to your clit and he rubbed it quickly as you rode him. You threw your head back suddenly and cried out as your core clenched and your cunt squeezed around his cock, milking it as you came. It dragged him over, and he moaned and released inside you.

“Mmm…” You hummed kissing him again, and he lay back with you. “I’m glad we did that.”

“Me too.” He agreed, holding you close. “It was worth the wait.”

You chuckled and ran your fingers over his chest. “We probably should check the food now though, I don’t think I can wait another hour and a half before we eat.”

Steve laughed and got up stretching. “Yeah, we definitely don’t want that.” He said. “Maybe after we can do that again.”

You smirked as you got redressed. “Oh, we most definitely will.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Square filled:** @star-spangled-bingo - Taking a Bullet for someone else

Steve was in his office when you called. There had been a mission and the amount of paperwork to get through to make sure there were no loose ends and no one got off on any technicalities was enormous. It had been a week since he had last seen you and hearing your voice on the phone made his heart skip.

“I just got your text.” You said. “How are you?”

“Better on hearing you.” He replied, sitting back in his chair and looking out the window of his office and gazing out at the Hudson.

You chuckled down the line. “You old sap. I missed you.”

Steve was glad that you couldn’t see the blush creeping up his neck. “I missed you too. Are you doing anything tonight?”

You sucked air harshly. “Yeah. I am.”

Steve’s stomach dropped. He’d been holding out the whole mission to get back here and see you. It was a blow to know you were busy. He also knew it wasn’t fair to expect you’d drop everything just for him. His life was unpredictable and you needed to live yours. “Damn,” he said. “When do you think we can see each other.”

You didn’t say anything for a moment. “Hey you know when I went to that protest and you said to call you if something like that came up.”

“Yeah, sure. Are you protesting something?”

“Mmm… not protesting.”

Steve sat up straightened and turned back to his desk. “What is it?”

“More like burglary.” You said. “You in? I understand if you aren’t.”

Steve didn’t answer. He still wasn’t totally sure about your methods even if your reasons were sound. But he also knew you sometimes needed to go that bit further to make a difference in the world. “It’s important.”

“Yeah. It’s important.”

“Alright. When and where?”

* * *

You pulled the car up near the loading docks of the biotech labs, in the shadow of a large dumpster. Steve looked up at the sign on the door and furrowed his brow. “Genexis? That’s your family’s company isn’t it?”

“Yeah. It is. So technically, Steve, we’re just stealing something that already belongs to me.” You said.

“So why not just take it?”

You sighed and rubbed the bridge of your nose. “It’s not that easy. I don’t have a lot to do with the company. If I did it would be run completely differently. I was recently told that they were going to start doing genetic experimentation on chimpanzees. It would be bad enough if it was medical or about inherited diseases or something of value. It’s not. It’s just gene splicing and cloning. I told my parents if they did this I’d put a stop to it the way I do and the only way they could stop it was to have me arrested.”

You sighed and looked at Steve. “I believe in what I’m doing right now, Steve. But it’s family business. If you want to back out.”

He took your hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m with you.”

“It shouldn’t be too hard. I’ve already set the cameras to stop recording for the next hour. I know all the codes. So as long as we avoid the security we should just be in and out. I did warn them though so they might be expecting me.” You explained.

Steve gave a nod. “It won’t be a problem.”

He followed you into the building. You weren’t lying about it being easy. Normally there was a lot of lock-picking and computer hacking involved when he broke into a building. You basically just opened the door and strolled in.

The two of you made your way up the emergency staircase. The grey concrete shaft echoed with every sound but the two of you walked lightly and made no sounds.

A security officer stepped into the stairwell above you when you reached the fourth floor. You and Steve pressed yourselves against the wall and waited for his footsteps to disappear again and the sound of the door clicking shut again.

The two of you moved faster after that, taking the stairs a few at a time. On the seventh floor, you used a set of keys to let yourself in.

The labs were cold and sterile. Each room was lined with cages with stark metal benches in the middle. You bypassed all of them. Steve knew how hard it must have been for you to do that. You had once come home with a box full of lab rats after raiding some labs. Thinking about that now, it was most likely you’d just come in here and took some. He wondered if growing up with this had made you the way you were or if it was just some deep ingrained need to protect otherwise helpless creatures. You never really spoke about your family or your childhood. He got it though. He got not wanting to dwell on the things that made you the way you were. He got the need to protect. If you wanted to tell him you would.

You approached a door and put your hand on the biometric scanner. Nothing happened. You tried typing in a code. There was a warning beep to let you know that any more mistakes would set off the alarms. You turned and looked at Steve with concern. “They’ve changed my access.”

“Back-up plan?” Steve asked.

You nodded. “I have the code of someone else, but if they changed that too…”

“Right. What about the biometrics?” Steve asked.

“Also an issue.”

Steve pulled out his phone. “Can you connect me to the WiFi?”

You nodded and took his phone logging in for him and handing back. “FRIDAY can you get us in?”

“Just a moment, Captain.” The AI replied.

There was a count of three and the lights on the door flickered green one by one.

The door at the end of the hall clicked open and footsteps began to echo through the floor. “FRIDAY how are we going?”

“I need a few more minutes, sir,” FRIDAY replied.

“Plan C,” Steve said and kicked the door hard.

It flew off its hinges with an enormous bang and an alarm started wailing. The person at the end of the hall began to run, but so did you and Steve. You ran straight to the cages holding the chimpanzee. It began to scream in distress. You unlocked it and held your arms out to the chimp. “Come on, baby. I know it’s scary but I can’t carry the cage down. You have to come with me.” You spoke soothingly.

“Step away from the chimp!”

Steve turned to see a large, but very scared looking security guard holding a gun pointed right at you. It set every red flag off. Fear and adrenaline mixed with reckless gun use. “Son, put the gun down.” He said, calmly but forcefully.

The guy swung the gun wildly to face Steve and then back to you. You seemed more intent on getting the chimp out of the cage than the guard training his gun on you with shaking hands.

“I said step away.” He shouted.

The chimp jumped into your arms and things seemed to go in slow motion. Steve saw the guy’s finger start to press down on the trigger. Steve jumped forward slamming into him and pushing him back. The gun went off and pain erupted in Steve’s side.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> @happystevebingo - "What do you mean, license and registration?“

The sound of the gun firing was almost deafening in the small space. The sound of the chimp screaming and the alarm wailing seemed slightly muffled, to begin with, thanks to the ringing in Steve’s ears. The bigger problem was the bullet that was now lodged in his side.

The guard that had shot him lay unconscious on the ground after hitting his head against the wall when Steve shoved him. Steve checked him over and turned to you. The chimpanzee was still screaming but thank god it wasn’t lashing out. It clung to you and pointed to the door.

You rushed to Steve’s side. “He shot you. Shit! Steve!”

“It’s okay. We have to go!” Steve said though he wasn’t entirely sure it was. His side was already wet with blood and he was fairly sure it was just his adrenaline that was keeping him from focusing on the pain.

You wrapped your free arm around him and the two of you ran to the door. You were just ducking through it when the elevator on the other end of the hall dinged and three more security got out. Steve wrapped one arm around your waist and lifted you, silently thanking Erskine for the super serum that coursed through his body. He vaulted the railing on the stairs and let himself fall with you in his arms.

Both you and the chimp screamed and the animal hit him. It made his head reel it hit with such force. He was mostly glad it hadn’t tried to bite him though. Those canines were huge and he couldn’t afford to lose more blood.

He grabbed one of the railings a floor above the ground, reefing his shoulder. It hurt but not as much as from the blow from the chimp. When the three of you had stopped he let himself drop the last of the way, landing lightly on his feet and putting you down.

You looked at him concerned but he pushed you to the door. You loaded the chimp into a cage in the back of your truck and covered it up before jumping into the driver’s seat. Steve climbed into the passenger seat and held the bullet wound. Now that he’d stopped moving the pain was starting to kick in and he wasn’t quite sure if his shoulder or his side hurt more.

“Steve, are you okay?” You asked backing out quick enough to make the tires squeal.

“Not sure.” He answered. “Just drive calmly. Don’t draw attention to yourself.”

“I have to get you to the hospital.” You said.

He winced. “The compound is safer. There are medics. But if we’re stopped for speeding we won’t be getting there.”

You nodded and slowed the truck, driving calmly down the street. Police sirens started to sound and a few minutes later, several police cars came tearing up the street in the opposite direction to where you were driving.

One swung around and pulled up close on your tail. “What do I do?” You asked.

“Pullover. Be calm.” Steve said calmly.

You pulled the car over, and Steve prayed that the chimp would stay quiet. It took a moment before the officer exited the car and came over.

You lowered the window and he peered in shining a torch into your eyes. “Can I ask where you’ve just come from?”

“My farm,” you lied. “Just taking my boyfriend home.”

“License and registration.”

Steve leaned forward and looked at the cop. “What do you mean, license and registration?”

The cop blanched. “Oh, Captain Rogers. My apologies. Please, carry on.”

He stepped away and headed back to his car and you calmly pulled the car back into the road, though your hands were gripping the steering wheel so tight your knuckles were straining.

“It’s alright. I promise. It’s going to be fine.” Steve said trying to sound like he wasn’t in a hell of a lot of pain.

“You got shot for me.” You argued. “What if you were killed.”

“I do much more dangerous stuff than this. Just… get me to the compound. I’m gonna be fine.” Steve said. “We’re together. We did what you wanted. You’ve got the chimp. You can be happy.”

You frowned and focused on the road. As much pain as he was feeling right now, he did know it was going to be fine. He hoped that when you got to the compound you’d see that too. He was buzzing with adrenaline and excitement right now. He’d done good. It had worked. He’d helped save an innocent life, and that was thanks to you.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> @star-spangled-bingo - Leaving to Keep Them Safe

You had dropped Steve off at the compound and made sure the medics had found him, but the chimp in your truck couldn’t wait so you had apologetically left him to go and deal with it. You had assured him you’d be back and he’d assured you it was fine. That he’d be fine.

He was then wheeled off to surgery where they had to keep pumping him full of anesthetic so his metabolism didn’t just shake it off immediately.

He’d expected to see you when he woke up. When you weren’t there he’d been irrationally upset. Sam had said that was probably the anesthetic though and then Tony had immediately started teasing him about being a crybaby.

When the anesthetic had run out of his system, logic took over. It probably wasn’t too easy to rehome a chimpanzee. You’d be in as soon as you could. There was no need to worry. He half expected you to bring in homemade pastries you’d baked with ingredients you’d grown yourself the next morning.

When it was Bucky that showed up with the pastries Steve did begin to worry. He tried to call you but you didn’t pick up. He’d wondered if you’d gotten into a car accident. Or if the chimp had attacked you and you’d bled out. Or if you’d been arrested after all.

He spent every hour calling you until your inbox was full and then he’d started texting. As soon as they’d given him the all-clear to leave the medbay he went straight to his car and drove to your farm.

It looked the same as it always did when he showed up. The horses, sheep, and cattle grazing the fields out the front. Your garden looked green and full of produce. He parked near your cabin and went and knocked on the door.

For a moment he wondered if anyone would even answer. If something happened to you the animals would need feeding. He’d have to make sure they were all okay as well as trying to find out what happened to you.

There were footsteps inside. Heavier than yours and he tensed and readied for a fight. A large muscular man with a deeply tanned complexion answered the door. He was standing relaxed and non-threatening as he looked Steve up and down, but still couldn’t relax. “You the Steve she told me about?”

“I’d say so. What happened is everything okay?” Steve asked.

“Not really,” he said grabbing something from behind the door. Steve raised his hands, expecting some kind of weapon to be pulled. Instead, it was an envelope. “She left this for you.”

Steve took it and opened it, keeping the guy in his peripheral. Your handwriting had been scrawled quickly over the paper. You’d obviously written it in a hurry.

_ **Dear Steve,** _

_ **I am so sorry. I got home and the police were here. I had to go to a friend’s place. My parents knew it was me and they are determined to prosecute. I can’t have you involved in this. It would ruin your whole reputation if you were arrested for grand larceny and breaking and entering. This is my fault. I’ll handle it.** _

_ **I love you. Please don’t ever doubt that. If things settle and you’ll have me I’ll come back, but for the time being its better for you if I keep clear of you.** _

_ **My heart is yours** _

Your signature was barely readable. Just a scrawled line, but he knew it was you. He looked up at the guy who was patiently waiting at the door. He smiled apologetically at Steve. “You want to come in? I don’t know heaps. She just asked I look after the animals and pass on the letter.”

Steve looked back at his car and then to the man. “Yeah. Thanks. I guess the more I know the better.”

The guy let Steve in and as Steve stepped through the door he became acutely aware of how badly his heart hurt.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Square filled: @star-spangled-bingo - failing to tell them how he/she feels, @happystevebingo - “Please accept my apology cookies!”

After you went on the run Steve couldn’t stop thinking the same thing over and over again. He had never told you how he felt about you. Maybe if you had known he was in love with you, you wouldn’t have run.

Although there was always that part of him that felt it probably wouldn’t matter. Steve Rogers lost the people he loved. It was written into his DNA. He sometimes wondered if it was because he was supposed to die as a kid, and when he didn’t the universe just adjusted by taking everything from him instead.

He did try and track you down. He originally thought it would be pretty easy to do really. Tracking down people who didn’t want to be found was what the Avengers did day-to-day and it wasn’t like you had serious training in staying undercover.

He wasn’t sure if he’d underestimated you, or if he just wasn’t trying very hard but nothing was coming up. Maybe it was a mixture of the two. The truth was, waking up from surgery and you not being there had hurt. Getting that letter from some guy he’d never even heard of before had hurt. If you wanted to be gone and he meant so little to you that you’d do that, maybe you should stay gone.

So for the next month, Steve had tried picking up the pieces of his life while he half-heartedly tried to find you. He tried to forget how you’d made him feel. How you’d shown him a whole different world that you wanted to protect. How you’d invited him to join that world.

How he had loved you.

Still loved you.

He regretted not telling you how he felt. He should have told you how he loved having you in his life.

He still hadn’t managed to properly let it all go when a month later you just showed up. The hesitant knock on his office door alerting him to your arrival.

For a moment he wasn’t sure he was really seeing you. He breathed your name and you took a few steps into the room. The most ridiculous thing of all - the thing that made him think he might actually be hallucinating - was you were carrying a plate of cookies.

“Steve,” you said quietly. “I’m really sorry.”

He stood up and took a step towards you. His mind, which was normally running through a million things at once, seemed frozen. “You’re here?”

“Yes. I brought cookies.” You said holding the plate up.

He blinked at you. “What?”

“To say sorry,” you said. “Apology cookies. Please accept my apology cookies.”

“What happened? Where have you been? When you weren’t there when I woke up -” he shook his head and ran his hand along the back of his neck. “I thought something happened to you.”

You took a step up to him and ran your hand over the spot where the bullet hit. He shivered a little at your touch. “I’m so sorry, Steve. When I got home the police were already there. I had to go into hiding and … I didn’t want you to get caught up in that. You’re better than that.”

“Shouldn’t that have been my choice?” He asked.

You dropped your eyes. “I’m sorry, Steve.”

“Did you even think about the fact that I took a bullet for you?” He asked. “I thought you’d be there when I came out of surgery.”

“Of course I cared, Steve,” you said. “It’s all I’ve been able to think of. I don’t know what else I could have done. If they found me here…”

Steve sighed and leaned against his desk. “What’s changed?”

“My parents dropped the charges.” You explained. “I think they decided that I was more important than a chimp. So that’s nice.”

“So if they didn’t you wouldn’t have come back?”

“Steve…” You sighed. “I didn’t want to do this. What would you have done?”

Steve folded his arms over his chest and thought about it. Really thought about it. The thing was he would have done the same. He had his moral compass and he followed it. He broke laws. He ignored rules. He would leave people to keep them safe. You had just done exactly what he would have done.

“Steve…” You said gently, putting the cookies on the desk beside him. “I’m sorry I hurt you. That was the last thing I wanted.”

“I missed you.” He said.

You put your hands on his chest and angled your head so you were looking up at him. “I missed you too. And I’m here now.”

He snaked his arm around you and looked down into your eyes. The truth was, you were his mirror and he was glad to have you back. Maybe this was a lesson for both of you. Either way, this was who you both were. He couldn’t fight that. “We need to set up a way to contact each other next time.” He said.

You smirked at him. “Next time?”

He shrugged. “It’s us. We do shit like this. Maybe we just need to plan for it.”

You chuckled and brought your lips to his. Maybe he should still be mad at you. He couldn’t find it in himself to hold on to it though. He just wanted to hold on to you.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Square filled: @star-spangled-bingo - Love Confession During Sex, @happystevebingo - Love Confessions

Whether it was Steve’s generally forgiving nature and desire to just move on and be okay with the people he cared about, the fact that he really did understand completely your reasoning for disappearing the way you did, or just the fact it was you, but Steve couldn’t hold onto any resentment with you and you soon fell back into the same slightly odd relationship you had before, where dates were things like picking fresh vegetables and breaking and entering.

Today’s date was a weird one. A man in the town over had had his home raided and a collection of exotic animals had been seized. Only the officials that seized them had no way of actually seizing them and a call had been put out to zoos and experts to come and help relocated them. You had been called, and you’d wrangled Steve in and that’s how he had been moving tranquilized lions, tigers and bears on and off trucks all day.

“That has to be up there with the strangest things I’ve done, and trust me when I say, I’ve had some pretty goddamn weird days,” Steve said as you let him into your house.

“Oh come on, a lion is not as weird as aliens pouring out of the sky. Or fighting a guy with a red skull for a head.” You said, closing the door and taking off your coat.

Steve pulled you into his arms and looked down into your eyes. “Okay, top 20 weird things.”

You pecked his lips and ran your hands down his back to his ass. “Sure sure,” you said. “Gotta say though, I’ve done that a couple of times and never has it gone as easy. The fact you could just lift a bear like it was an infant is quite hot.”

“Oh yeah?” He teased running his hands down to your thighs. “You like seeing me use my strength?”

He lifted you above his head suddenly and you squealed and grabbed his wrists. “Steve!”

He held you up above his head and laughing and then slowly let you drop down. You wrapped your legs around his waist and cupped his jaw, kissing you passionately. He hummed softly into your lips and he held you tight to him. You started to roll your hips as he held you up, grinding gently against his crotch.

He groaned and pushed you up against the wall, grinding into you as the kiss became hungrier and more desperate. Blood rushed to his cock and it hardened as he rolled his hips against you.

You moaned loudly and began to tug on his shirt like you were trying to lift it up. The two of you broke apart just long enough to pull off each other’s shirts, before kissing again. Your tongue dipped into his mouth and he brought his out to meet it, circling them around each other.

You let your legs relax and he lowered you to the floor. Without breaking the kiss you led him to the couch. The two of you stripped the rest of your clothes as you walked, awkwardly kicking off jeans and boots and leaving them in a trail on the floor.

You pushed him back on the couch and straddled his lap, finally breaking the kiss. You looked down into his eyes as you rolled your hips, sliding his cock up and down the length of your dripping pussy. Your fluids coating his cock. A taste of what was to come.

He lifted you and sunk and lowered you down on his cock, slowly sinking into you. You let your head fall back as your walls squeezed tight around his shaft. He groaned and rested his head against your chest as he savored the feeling of being inside you.

“God, I love you.” He groaned against your skin.

You tilted his head up to yours. “Say that again.” You said.

He started to rut up into you, his cock pushing in and out, the warm wet of your cunt engulfing his length and then slipping away again with each thrust. “I love you.” He said, clearer this time, but with a growl to his voice.

You moaned softly and leaned your forehead against his. “I love you too, Steve.” You whispered.

Somehow the timing of the declaration was both wrong and right all at once. Just like everything that had happened to lead up to it. He kissed you deeply and as he thrust up into you, you began to swirl your hips.

He moaned into your lips as everything became fuzzy. It was like saying the words somehow made it better. You were on the same page. You wanted the same things. You were together.

A pit formed in his stomach and pressed down inside him. He started fingering your clit, wanting to bring you over with him. You broke the kiss with a cry and your whole body clenched up as you came, squeezing and milking his cock. His balls tightened and he bucked up into you as he released, his cock pulsing as he emptied inside you.

“Fuck,” you hummed putting your forehead against his. “You know how happy I am we met?”

He hummed and nuzzled at your cheek, smiling. “Mmm… I have never been so glad to be maced.”


End file.
